Yankees shut down Jacoby Ellsbury with mild oblique strain

Ellsbury did not play Tuesday or Wednesday and is expected to re-evaluated on Thursday.

"Six, seven days we'll give him off and see where he's at,” Yankees manager Joe Girardi said. "I'm not really concerned about it, because it's really mild. This is the time of year we can protect him a little bit, don't have to rush him back."

Girardi says he is confident that Ellsbury will be ready to play by Opening Day. The Yankees open the 2015 season on April 6 against the Toronto Blue Jays.

"I thought he was in a pretty good place, as far as being in shape and playing multiple days," Girardi said. "There'll be plenty of time for him."

Ellsbury, 31, signed to a seven-year, $153 million contract before last season, after spending his first seven MLB seasons with the Boston Red Sox. He hit .278 with 16 home runs, 70 RBI in 149 games in 2014.

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